Phase shifting and modulating device



May 19, 1959 R. E. MALJI:UE :H 2,887,662

PHASE-SHIFTING MODULATING DEVICE Filed July .10, 1957 u 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19, 1959 R. E. MAUDuEcl-l 2,887,662

PHASE SHIFTING AND MODULATING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1957 Fly,

R. EQ MAUDUECH 2,887,662 PHASE SHIFTING AND MODULATING DEVICE May 19, 1959' Fild' July 1o. 1957 3 Shee'f-,s-Sheet 3 United States Patent O l 2,887,662 p 1 i PHASE SHIFTING AND MODULAI'ING DEVICE i Robert Ren Mauduech, Paris, France t Application July 10, 1957, Serial No. 671,049 Claims priority, application France July 20, 1956;

4 Claims. (Cl; 33216) The present invention relates to a phase shifting and modulating device, allowing phase control of a noninodulated alternating current delivered by a source of carrier current connected thereto, under the iniiuence of a control voltage which may be that of a modulating signal or an :adjustable direct-current voltage. This device consists of an electrical network with two pairs of terminals, to one of which the carrier current source is connected while the other pair of terminals is connected to a working circuit. A variable resistance, the value of` which is controlled by said control voltage, is connected in said network. The phase-modulated (or phase-shifted) `voltage is collected at the terminals of one of the impedances forming the network. f

A device for the same object has already been described in a paper by G. S. Sanyal and B. Chatterjee, published in the British review Wireless Engineer, September 1955, pages 255-256. The device described in this paper makes use of a xed resistance and a fixed reactance, combined withan electronic tube forming the variable resistance controlled by themodulating signal. The phasemodulated voltage is `collected `a`t the terminals of said variable resistance.

Another device for the same object is also described in the French Patent 916,976 filed on July 4, 1945,"in the name" of Compagnie Franaise Thomson-Houston. It comprises two reactances 'and a variable resistance, and is of the type having one single `pair of terminals, where K lated voltage is practically free of amplitude' modulation tailed description hereunder and by referring to tha the phase-modulated voltage is collected when a nonmodulated alternating current is injected into the device by means of a carrier current source of practically iniinite ,internal resistance. l

l p Therdeviceythe objecty of this invention, has the advantages, in comparison ywith the known ones, of a high sensitivity,`i;e. of a large phase variation for a given variation of lthe variable resistance under the action of the control voltage and, onthe other hand, of easier matching to a lowfimpedance carrier current source as those generally used in practice, for instance when frequencies in the lll mc./,s. range are concerned. t `According to thepresent invention, there is provided a phase-modulating"deviceicomprising a'network with two pairs of terminals and adapted to a non-modulated alternating carrier current source of a fixedfrequency connected to the ,iirstdf said 'pairs of terminals, so-called input terminals, anddafvariable resistance connected in said network and the value of which iscontrolled by the modu- "lating voltage of a source of modulation signal, said device vdelivering a phase-modulated alternating voltage to a working circuit connected to the' second of said pairs of terminals', socalled'oiitpu't terminals, characterized in that l'said network is a -Wlieatstone bridge, th'e four arms of which are formed byreactances, practically without'losses,

in that saidf variable carrier current source and variable t 'resistance are respectively connected to the two diagonals 'of said bridge andin that said secondpair-of terminals when said resistance varies `under the control of said modulating voltage. i y

According to a first embodiment of the invention, said variable resistance is a non-linear resistance varying under the inuence of the voltage of the modulating signal.'y

This non-linear resistance is preferably constitutedbyla semi-conducting diode.

According to a second mode of embodiment the invention, said variable resistance is theanode-cathode resistance ofr an amplifying-electronic tube, the anode yand cathode of which are respectively connected to the two apices of one diagonal of saidbridge, while the control grid of said tube connected to a third apex of said bridge through the modulating voltage source.

The invention will be better understood fro'nthe defnexed drawings, in which i Figure l is a simplified diagram representing vthe device of the invention; t y

Figure 2 is the diagrampf a preferred embodiment `of the invention," in which a nonflinear resistance is used;

Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams of other embodimentsof the invention, using the anode-cathode resistance of an electronic tube as a variable resistance; p

Figure 5 shows a particular case of Figure 4`whe`re`t`he control voltagel is a direct-current voltage, manuallyradjustable, the device then being an vadjustable phase-shifter;

Figure 6 is a diagram provided for the better 'understanding of the operation ofthe devices of Figures l to 5.

In the following description, vthe angular frequency of the carrier current source twill be designated by 'w, the value of the variable resistance by R, the 'quantity 1YR by g and the rest value of lthe latter by go, i.e. its value when no modulating voltage is applied.

As ually the imaginary unity will be noted -byi (j=\/-1), the voltage of the carrier'current source 'depending on time t by a factor of the form eM.

Referring now to Figure '1, the voltage delivered by the' source of 'carrier current `11 with an internal impedance' Z0, isapplied to the input terminals (1, 2) of the device which arethose ofa diagonal of a'Wlieats'tonebridge, the four arms of which have the reactances X1"`,X,iu Y1, Yz at the angular frequency n.' The resistance R' is variable` according to the voltage vof theA modulating signal source' 9 applied to the control terminals (5, 6) vandv is fconnectd to the second diagonal of the bridge. The phase modulated voltage is receivedati the terminals (3,'4) of the reactanc'e Y2,'to which the'working' circuit may be con'- nected. The latter circuit is supposed to have essentially a high resistance but it may have noticeable capacitive or inductive admittancewithout disadvantage. As a matter of fact, this admittance being in parallel connection, with one of the reactances ofthe bridge, it is possible to take it in account by modifying the value of this r`e' actance. In practice, this admittance will generally be a capacitive one, if for instance, it is the input admittance of an amplifier.

Designating by:

E=the electromotive forceof source 11 Zo=its internal resistance U1=the voltage at terminals (1, 2) U2=the voltage at terminals (3, 4)

the value ofUz is given by: A `UFISM/N 3(1) where'M and4 N are linear functions of, X1, XQYx, Y,

Patented May 19,

n Y.If theimpedance Zoof sourcellis negligible and can -tal-a trst approximationbeconsidered'zero, itis found "The application of the condition (4) gives the following relationship, between (X1, X2, Y1, Y2):

If, furthermore, it is desired to obtain the maximum possible variation of the angle p for a slight variation of g under the action of the modulating voltage of'source 9, calculation shows that:

A/B must be ige; C/D must bercgo (7) for the value go taken by g when the modulating voltage 1s zero. The corresponding value 11 (hereafter called rest value) of angle qb is then equal to .i902

Figure 6 illustrates in this case the operation of the device.

I n Figure 6 the vector OP represents the value of the ratio U2/ U1. The abscissae Vand ordinates respectively represent the values of the real and imaginary parts of this ratio. In the example of Figure 6, A/B is supposed to be equal to (-g); the initial value rpo of angle is then, in the absence of amodulating voltage, equal to (490) and corresponds to point P0 on the circle of center O and radius OPO. The variation of this angle under the influence of the modulating voltage is represented by angle 4:1.

The'application of lFormulae 7 allows calculation of the reactances (X1, X2, Y1, Y2) when the values of two of them, or two additional relationships between them, are arbitrarily given. It is, for instance possible to arbitrarily choose one of the reactances and to give the quantity A/C, which is equal to the modulus of U2/ U1, apredetermined value. It .is also possible to select the value of Z as one of thear'bitrary conditions. It should alsobe pointed out that, for every solution of the Equations l6 or 7, there exists a second solution obtained by changing the algebraic sign of all the reactances (X1, X2, Y1: Y2)

The above theory is valid, subject to the condition that R be a non-linear resistance varying under "the inuence of the modulating voltage from 9. When R is the anodecathode resistance of an electronic tube, somewhat different formulae, givenhereunder in'connection'withthe diagram of Figure 3, should be' used.

Figure 2 shows a phase-modulating device according to the simplitied diagram ofHFigure 1, using a non-linear resistance 10 consisting of a`semiconducting diode. In the device of Figure 2, the source of high frequency carrier current 11 feeds the input terminals (21,22) of the bridge consisting of the three reactances (29, 30, 31) which respectively play the parts of X1,`Y1, X2 of Figure 1, and of thereactancefofthelassembly (17, 32, 65),

4 v which plays the part of Y2 of Fig. l. As it is well known, the reactance of this latter assembly is equivalent to that of an inductance of slightly different value from that of inductance 32; the object of the adjustable condenser 65 is to allow adjustment of the apparent equivalent inductance, condenser 17 having a large capacity and being simply destined to prevent propagation of high frequency current from 11 into the circuit of the source9 of modulation signal. 2S is the resistance of the working circuit connected to output terminals (19, 20), assumed to be of high value, and 33 is a resistance in parallel connection with (21, 22), in order to adjust, if necessary, the input impedance of the device as seen from (21, 22). The source of modulation signal 9, supposed to be an alternating signal, for instance a telephonic signal, is in parallel connection with the resistance 27, the purpose of which is to-allow to adjust, if necessary, the impedance of this source 4to a suitable value. VvThe modulating voltage delivered at terminals (25,l 26) is applied to the terminals ofthe primary winding 62 of a transformer 61, the secondary winding of which is inserted in the circuit of the diodel 10. This circuit comprises, in series, the directcurrent source 68, the adjustable resistance 67, the winding 63, the inductance 32, the diode 10 and the resistance 33. The adjustable resistance '67 allows adjustment of the value of the biassing direct-current through the diode 1) at a favourable value, i.e. a value for whichthe incremental resistance of this diode varies rapidly under the action of the modulating voltage appearing 'at the terminals of 63. The high capacity condenser 17 prevents propagation of the high frequency currents applied to the assembly (31, 32, 65) towards 63 and the source of modulation signal 9. The high capacity condenser 64 also prevents propagation of the currents issued from 9 towards (67, 68).

The phase-modulated voltage is received at terminals (19, 20) connected yas well to the working circuit 28 as to the terminals of the assembly-(17, 32, 65), the reactance of which is equal to that of element Y2 of Figure 1.

The value L1 of inductance 29, C1 of the capacity of condenser 30, C2 of the capacity of condenser 31 and L2 of the iuductance'equivalent to the assembly (17, 32, 65) must be chosen in such a way that:

conform the appropriate numerical relationships. y'If the impedance ZD of source 11 is considered, negligible, these are relationship (6) or relationships (7). If Z0 is not negligible, the values L1, C1, L2, C2 must be slightly modified so that the voltage developed at terminals (19, 211), when undergoing strong phase modulation, keeps nevertheless a practically constant amplitude. The proper adjustment can be obtained experimentally, by giving first L1, C1, L2, C2, the nominal values which they should have if Z0 were zero and by slightly varying these four quantities. Practice has shown that it is sufficient to adjust two of them, for instance L2 and C2, by means of the adjustable condensers (31, 65).

Referring now to Figure 3, it may be seen on it that the arrangement of this figure is analogous to that of Figure 2, but differs from the latter in that diode 10 is replaced by the anode-cathode interval of the electronic tube v 10'and in that the modulating voltage delivered at terminals (25, 26) `ot' the source-of.modulation-signal 9 is applied between the xed potential point..22 of the set-up and the controlgrid of tube 10. Designating .now by :g the transconductance of this tube, which is of the pentode type and the internal anode-cathode resistance of which can be considered as very high (said transconductance being defined as the ratio of the variation of thek anode current to that of the voltage of the control grid of the tube) calculationgives,a'fslightly `diterent frmulaefrm that found inthe case' of the diode of Figure. 2for the voltage U2 developed at the terminals (19, 20). Still` designatiugbyU1 the? voltage applied to (21, 22), it isfound that: 1f? f g 'Uz/U1="(+B2)/(Cri-D1) (8) -`.-D1=X1Y1(X2'+Yn) H "i, .,Ihe'yalue of the input impedance Z of the device, seen romgtheterminals (21, 22) is: y "Z1=(C'+JD1g)/(F1g'-H) (9) with` y a .1 F1=(X1+X2),Y1 t f The quantitiesdesignated by vl(A, B, 1C, H) have-the same values as Abefore. f y, j 1 a Y A Still supposing the internal `impedance of the carrier current source11 `to be negligible, it is found that when gyaries under the influence ofthe modulating voltage developed at the terminals (25,-` 26), a non-amplitude modulated and phase-modulated voltage is received at (19, 20),.,ifz

,4/B=c/D1- (10) This `relationship is analogous to the relationship (4), valid for the case of Figure 2. The operation of the deviceis stilvl represented by the diagram of Figure 6. The sensitivity -of the device is, similarly, a ,maximumv one (i.e. there is the maximum possiblephase variation for a given variation of g), if: a 't 7Bf-iisd; C/Disuy that is, when the rest value U2/U1 is equal toi- 90".

Thetphasemodulated voltage developed at lthe anode of tube is transmitted to the terminal 19 and to the working circuit 28 by the condenser 14, the object of which is simply to avoid applying to the terminals (19, 20) the D.C. voltage (represented on Figure 3 by +B) supplying the anode of tube 10. The elements (12, 13, simply serve to ensure correct supply conditions to the various electrodes of the tube. The elements (17, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) respectively play the same parts as those with the same reference numbers in Figure 2. Figure 4 shows a variant of the embodiment of Figure 3, in which, in order to facilitate adjustment, the lixed condenser 31 is replaced by an adjustable condenser. The adjustable condenser 35 allows to obtain a slight (11) 1110` |ofthe phase Iangle of variation of the apparent value of the inductance 34 of Figure 4, which plays the same part as the inductance 32 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a manually controlled phaseshifter constructed according to the principle of the invention.A The diagram of Figure 5 is identical with that of Figure 4 except in that the source of modulating signal 9 of Figure 4 is replaced in Figure 5 by a source of D.C. voltage 79 connected to the terminals 75, 76 of a potentiometer 77 allowing to adjust the value of the D.C. biasing voltage applied between the cathode and the control grid of the electronic tube 10. If, by adjustment of 77, this biasing voltage is varied, the phase of the voltage at the frequency w transmitted from the source of carrier current 11 through the device to terminals (19, 20) varies correspondingly.

Two numerical examples of application, illustrating the practical mode of calculation of the elements of the device of the invention, are given below; the rst refers to the case of Figure 2, the second to the case of Figure 3.

Example I.-In the case of Figure 2 the incremental rest resistance of the diode, at the chosen operating point, will be supposed to be equal to 200 ohms:

1/g0=200 ohms The angular lfrequency w will be taken equal to 2r times l0 mc./s. Therefore In'order to determine the four reactances X1, X2,IY1, Y2 ,the'tfollowing conditions will be imposed: f f (a) for g equal to gmnthe input impedance Zof'the device will be real; (b) this impedance will have a pre determined value R1; (c) theabove condition (4) will be fulfilled. y `f Referring to the above-indicated value o f Z; the conditions"(a) andf(b) become@` ff v c/Fg,=-Dg,/H4=R, (12) consideredlas infinite and becomes.:

lGenerally, -the calculationof X1, X2, 'Y1' israther complicaembut .will be considerably qsimplified by, taking R1ei`1'ulto l/go. Inthiscase there isvfound; ,i a/Xll riem-'sala xpm/sue hence X12-454 ohms; X2=Y1=-231 ohms which gives:

L1=24.6 microhenries C1=C2=10.9 micrornicrofarads.

The input impedance of the device, being, in the absence of a modulating signal, equal to 200 ohms, if the device is to be matched with a source 11 having an im, pedance of 75 ohms (usual value for a coaxial line), a value of 120 ohms is to be chosen for the resistance 33, as

120X200/(l20-i-200)=75 The apparent impedance of source 11 in parallel with resistance 33 as seen from the device, will then be:

75 120/(75jl20)=46 ohms The value deE/U2, drawn from (1), is found to be 1-231 jg 1-231 jg It is easily seen that the second term, the only responsible for the amplitude modulation, modies but very slightly the value of the first one. As a matter of fact, the relative amplitude variation of E/ U2, when g varies from zero to iniinite, does not exceed i6% of its average value.

Example lI.-Relationships (10) and (11) simplify and become:

agssvgeea lToLdetermine 14,114, Cbltg,Y it isastillnecessaryztowrite down two supplementary relationships. Forinstancmrone ofitheselmaybe' arbitrarily written:

L2= C1lb2=2 and the voltage gain G of the device, equal to -fl/C,Y may be arbitrarily fixed at afgiven value. Designating byigo the transconductance of tube. 10/at1the selected-operating point, the following equations are found:

L1: l 0.27 microhenries "L2=30i8 microhenries C1: 16 micromicrofarads "C3-=` 12 micromicrofarads connected .between f :the two :other opposite apices bof said bridge, means for connecting `a carrierscurrent'sourceof xed frequency to said input-terminals, a source of modulation signals delivering a control voltage, vvmeans for applying said control voltage to said variable resistance so as to cause itto vary under the influence of said control voltage, a pair of output terminals respectively connected to the terminals of one of said reactances, and meausfor connecting -said output terminals to -a -working circuit, said variable resistance being'the anode-'cathode internal resistance of said tube, said velectronic tube having at least a cathode, a control grid and an anode, said cathode and anode being respectively connected to said two other apices of said bridge, and said control grid of said tube being connected to ra third apex of said bridge through said source of modulating voltage.

2. A device Vas claimed in claim 1, wherein a condenser is set up in parallelconnectionwith-said'source offmodulating voltage'so as to'avoidcarrier 'currentpropagation into latter said source.

"3. A device as claimed in claim l, fwhereinsaid'reactances consist of two inductances respectively connected in two opposite arms of said bridge-and of two condensers respectively connected in the two other arms .of said bridge.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3,rfurther comprising an adjustable condenser in .parallel connection'with one of said inductances.

Hoorn Mar. 13, 1934 Kreithen ,....cMay8, 195l 

